Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport. (Vince Lombardi)

For me, winning isn't something that happens suddenly on the field when the whistle blows and the crowds roar. Winning is something that builds physically and mentally every day that you train and every night that you dream. (Emmitt Smith)

Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football. (John Heisman)

He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings. (Torrin Polk, Univ. of Houston receiver, about coach John Jenkins)

I have seen women walk right past a TV set with a football game on and--this always amazes me--not stop to watch, even if the TV is showing replays of what we call a 'good hit', which is a tackle that causes at least one major internal organ to actually fly out of a player's body. (Dave Barry)

I wouldn't ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was, you know, important--like a league game or something. (Dick Butkus)

I'm not allowed to comment on lousy referees. (Jim Finks, when asked after a loss what he thought of the officials' decisions)

I've been big ever since I was little. (William 'The Refrigerator' Perry)

If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead. (Erma Bombeck)

If you don't want to get tackled, don't carry the ball. (Ann McKay Thompson)

If you're mad at your kid, you can either raise him to be a nose tackle or send him out to play on the freeway. It's about the same. (Bob Golic)

In life, as in a foot-ball game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard! (Theodore Roosevelt)

Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. (Vince Lombardi)

Maybe a good rule in life is never become too important to do your own laundry. (Barry Sanders)

The pads don't keep you from getting hurt. They just keep you from getting killed. (Chad Bratzke)

Pro football is like nuclear warfare. There are no winners, only survivors. (Frank Gifford)

The reason women don't play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public. (Phyllis Diller)

A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall. (Vince Lombardi)

The secret of winning football games is working more as a team, less as individuals. I play not my eleven best, but my best eleven. (Knute Rockne)

Speed, strength, and the inability to register pain immediately. (Reggie Williams, when asked his greatest assets as a player)

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence. (Erma Bombeck)

We interrupt this marriage to bring you the football season.

What about football? Is it a sport or a concussion? (Jim Murray)

What's the worst thing that can happen to a quarterback? He loses his confidence. (Terry Bradshaw)

You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four. (Dan Birdwell)

Ode to the Offensive Lineman

(Debbie Christiansen)

School begins, football starts and fall is in the air.
The papers cover local teams to tell us how they'll fare.
Quarterbacks and halfbacks, a running back or two;
safety, ends and kickers, throw in some linemen too.

Every mother smiles to see her young son's name in print.
"He's bound to be a starter!" In Dad's eye there is a glint.
So the first game comes along--my son, he's on the line.
"Dive right," "cut block," "quarterback sneak,"he's in there every time.

We have the plays, players too, everybody reasons.
This is the year, there's no doubt, we'll have a winning season.
The paper lauds the quarterback, his passes are supreme.
The wide receiver, there's a guy--the fastest that we've seen.

Did you see the many yards gained by the running back?
And no one ever will forget the defense on the sack.
The linemen on the defense are listed one by one.
Numbering every tackle in the game they won.

And so on down the list of plays and scores until they're done.
But--wait a minute! His name's not there--I cannot find my son!
"Did you do your part?" I ask. "Tell me son, did you play well?"
"I am an offensive linemen--there is no more to tell."

And so to offensive linemen--this ode to you I write.
Who take your place upon the line and block with all your might?
Who give the quarterback the time to throw the perfect pass,
and make the hole for the running back to leave 'em in the grass?

You give the kicker what he needs the extra point to score.
You block and fall and push and shove, and come right back for more.
They do not keep the stats on you, your name's not up in lights.
Without you, well--the quarterback is just a guy in tights!

"I am an offensive lineman--there's no more to my story."
To offensive linemen everywhere, honor, laud and glory!

I am an Offensive Lineman

I am an offensive lineman
You will not see my picture on posters in young boy's rooms.
You will not see boys wearing my number on replica jerseys.
I am an offensive lineman.

If I do my job, you will hear the crowd cheer
for the man carrying the ball.
You will be amazed at the statistics
my quarterback and running backs achieve.
My team will be successful. If I don't do my job,
you will hear my coach complain to me.
You will hear fans complain about
my poor effort and lack of ability.
My team will fail.
I am an offensive lineman.

I am part of a corp of dedicated athletes.
Practice is harder for me.
Sprints are not easy for me like those of swift feet.
Conditioning asks more of me than those who touch the ball.
I do not complain.
It is my back on which the team depends.
I must work harder--I have more responsibility.
I am an offensive lineman.

I do not play a talent position.
I play a skill position.
Talent players see their names in the paper.
'The line did a great job tonight'
the talented player says in the paper.
You see, I have no name.
I am an offensive lineman.

I hold no grudge for the accolades given to my backs.
They are my teammates.
Their achievement is my reward.
I am a member of a corp of dedicated athletes.

I do not thrive on personal praise, glory or recognition.
I am satisfied with the companionship, loyalty
and cooperation of my fellow offensive linemen.
Achieving honor together is greater
than anything I can accomplish myself.
I am proud of the job I do and I am proud of the job WE do.
What others do for personal glory I do for my team's triumph.
I'll never complain.
I will endure whatever is necessary so that
My team, My school and My community will be celebrated.
I am an offensive lineman

Football Page Ideas

Draw a line at the top, bottom or either side of the page with the wavy borderline and scatter various football stickers or die-cuts along the line.

If you have mostly newspaper clippings use the older large die-cuts--like the megaphone, trophy, pennant, football, helmet, etc. Then put the clippings on top with just part of the die-cut showing.

Write the words to some of the more common cheers your school uses around the edge of the page (or just "Go Team Go").

Use the football ABC list and write words around a border or double page spread (A is for ability; B is for ball; C is for Coach; etc.)

Make a top border that looks like a row of footballs using the scallop borderline and a brown pen. (First draw a line at the top of the page with the scallops up on the ruler and then turn the ruler over and finish the ball. Draw the laces on the balls using a brown fine-tip pen)

Cut out a large goal post from brown paper. Journal on the goal post and put newspaper clippings and photos in the spaces around it.

Cut a thinner goal post. Put the school name on the cross bar and "go team" on the upward section.

Cut a football jersey shape out paper in the school colors. Use sticker numbers and letters for the name and player number. You can make it small as a page decoration or the size of a page to use as a background.

Use helmet or football stickers to replace the "O's" in the word "football" on page titles.